Lead by Example

Allen R. Smith is currently the Interim Executive Director for Southeast Fort Worth, Inc. where his mission is to entice and promote developers to come build and re-build in the Southeast area of Fort Worth, TX. Southeast Fort Worth is currently a place where not a lot of development has been happening. One such example are the 400 plus acres that are available for residential and commercial development along the west shore of Lake Arlington. This specific area is centrally located and minutes away from any place of interest or tourist site in the metroplex. As Allen Smith pointed out, Southeast has all the elements for success:

• Available and affordable land
• Institutions of higher learning such as Texas Wesleyan University and Tarrant County College not to mention Texas Christian University only minutes away in Downtown Fort Worth.
• Plenty of room for families and businesses to grow as well as development incentives to make it all happen.

 A recent development came when Walmart started the long awaited construction of one of its super-centers in Southeast Fort Worth just east of Highway 287. This Walmart, scheduled to be complete by early 2013, became the anchor store and the first of many more stores/shoppes in Renaissance Square.
The neighborhood Homes Revitalization Project was a long and well known effort where investments were made from financial institutions such as Bank of America, Wellsfargo, Chase and others into several homes in the area by giving them a face lift and beautiful landscaping.The project lived by the words:

"An Investment in Southeast Fort Worth, is an investment in our Citizens of Fort Worth."

 The purpose of this was to help the residents of the area have a proud and beautiful place to live and also to make it attractive to potential builders/investors. By cleaning the areas and making the neighborhoods beautiful and clean will not only attract builders but families as well.

Mr. Smith is especially proud for bringing two schools from the Uplift Education System to the Southeast area. Uplift Education is one of the best and most recognized public institutions in the State of Texas and the campuses are rated exemplary by the Texas Education Agency. The new addition has made many families extremely happy because now their children get the chance to have a great education and with 100% graduation rates, they are more likely to attend college and start pursuing their dreams.

All these things that Allen Smith helps put together screams sustainability in a social and economic way. Helping people, volunteering and having a voice in the community is all that is needed to let the city of Fort Worth know what it is that the people want. In addition, Mr. Smith let us know that by speaking to your Homeowners Associations or at a City Council meeting can be a great way to heard.